


Cafe

by theprofoundestofbonds



Category: In the Flesh (TV)
Genre: M/M
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2014-07-23
Updated: 2014-08-06
Packaged: 2018-02-10 02:22:01
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 4
Words: 1,914
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/2007372
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/theprofoundestofbonds/pseuds/theprofoundestofbonds
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>A coffee shop AU of sorts</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Glowing

The sun is rising directly behind Kieren Walker and the rays create a sort of halo around him as he walks. He is making his way to the café at the corner two blocks from his house, where he has been working since the end of the school year. It’s Saturday so no one else in the small village of Roarton is up yet. He’ll be there just in time to start the ovens and coffee makers before the early birds come in for breakfast.   
He didn’t mind getting up so early, or having to go to sleep early the night before. It kept his mind fresh from the thoughts that almost always surfaced late at night. The job was good for him, gave him a sense of purpose and a reason to get rest and to get up in the morning. He’d never admit it to anyone but it actually probably had nothing to do with the job and more so with the sexy cook that worked there, Simon Monroe. Seeing those dark yet friendly eyes every day was more than enough of a reason to get up before the sun. Heck, they were probably even the reason he fell asleep so easily now, because those eyes took up a majority of him dreams.   
Shaking his head to get the image of Simon out of it, Kieren opens the door and nearly crashes right into the man. “Sorry.” Kieren barely chokes out, stepping back outside, pulling the door open with him so that Simon could fall out. He was caring something fury, something that was making horrible hissing sounds. “Oh my god, is that a raccoon?”  
Simon tossed the creature into a bush just outside the café and then grabbed Kierens hand to pull him inside and shut the door as if he feared the creature would rush back in right then. When the door was shut, Simon dropped Kierens hand but kept his close proximity. Kieren could smell his aftershave and felt the man’s breath on his face. “Sorry about that. I didn’t really think before I picked him up, just thought it would be easier if I got rid of it myself rather than have to close up the shop.” Simon’s voice was low but confident and Kieren wondered if his would sound nervous and shaky in comparison. He cleared his throat.   
“Uh, that’s alright. Pretty stupid of you, but… alright.” Kieren mentally kicked himself for the lame response. But Simon cracked a smile, a smile that ripped Kieren’s heart in half.   
“That shirt looks good on you. Brings out the golden flecks in your eyes.” Simon says casually, his hand reaching up to tug on the collar of the shirt.   
Kieren gulps and doesn’t know if he can respond coherently. Not while looking Simon in the eyes, that’s for sure. He glances at the floor. “Well, thanks. I didn’t…um, I didn’t know there were gold flecks in my eyes.”  
Simon laughs, more of a breathy chuckle but the smile on his face grows and the skin around his eyes wrinkle. “They’re hard to see except in this light, with the sun coming in through the door like this. I look forward to seeing you come in for this reason. You glow, you absolutely glow, Ren.”  
Kieren steps back, startled in every way by Simon. “We should get to work.” He says, avoiding eye contact. Why should he be so nervous around him? Why can’t he be cool and flirt back? Was Simon even flirting or was he just being nice? Kieren didn’t even know if the man played for his team!   
“Yeah,” Simon says “I guess we should.”


	2. Gary

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Gary and Jem interrupt Siren

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm going on vacation that's why the chapters are the shortest chapters ever. I'll write longer ones when I get back.

The silence is deafening as Kieren takes the chairs down from the tops of the tables. Simon had stayed late last night to mop and Kieren offered to set the chairs if Simon would start heating the machines for him. He mainly just wanted Simon out of the room so he could regain whatever composure he had left. Once the tables were wiped down and ready for costumers, Kieren walked into to back to return the cleaner to the cupboard which was just inside the back room. Simon was leaning against it, blocking Kieren. "I need to, uh" Kieren gestures with the bottle toward the cupboard. 

Simon stands straight and moves slightly over, leaving just enough room for Kieren. "Sorry." He says unconvincingly. 

Kieren brushes against Simon and opens the cupboard, setting the bottle on the top shelf. He had to stretch to put it up there and when he leans back down Simon seems much closer. He spins around and puts his back against the cupboard to close it. Simon takes a step even closer. Kieren puts his hands on Simon's chest, reflex telling him to push the man back but instead his hands grip his marroon colored jumper, and he pulls the man closer. So close that his eyes begin to flutter closed. Their lips are so close just about to touch when the bell above the door rings. Two costumers are talking loudly, oblivious to the thick sexual tension in the back. Kieren pushes Simon back and stumbles out into the cafe. He ties on his apron with shaky hands and grabs his notepad. "Anywhere's fine, can I get you guys started with something to drink?"

When he finally looks he sees Gary Kendal and his sister, Jem. "Oh. Hey." He says, noticing Gary's hand on Jem's lower back.


	3. Gary pt 2

Kieren looked between his sister and Gary and then focused on Gary. "You aren't supposed to be in here" Kieren said, looking back to make sure Simon hadn't heard. Gary was banned from this establishment because he and Simon had gotten into a fist fight a few months ago. Kieren hadn't been working here then but Jem had been there and later told him that Gary was an idiot, that he had thrown the first punch but got taken down by Simon easily. She apparently had changed her mind about Gary, though, seeing as she didn't look too upset at having his hands on her.   
Gary laughed and sat down. Jem followed and said, "Oh come on Ren. He won't start anythin." She smiled quite lovingly at him and then turned pleading eyes on Kieren.   
"It isn't my choice. If Simon sees him-" Kieren didn't get to finish because that's when Simon came out from the back. He didn't realize Simon was there at first but when he did he walked to the door and held it open. "Get out." He said in a deep threatening tone that sent chills down Kieren's neck.   
Jem looked to Kieren and he cleared his throat. "Could I, uh, talk to you for a minute Simon?"   
Simon looked surprised and then understanding covered his features. "He can't be in here. Your sister can stay but he needs to leave." The change in his tone and facial expression made something in Kieren tingle. He obviously cared about Kieren, and that almost kiss was even more prove of it. He thought maybe he could use that to convince Simon to let Gary stay and make his sister happy but instead he spoke without thinking and it was not in favor of that plan, "Gary, get out." He was looking at his sister as he said this, sending her a message that she should have known better and it wasn't his responsibility to fix what her boyfriend did.   
The couple left, glaring at Kieren as they did. When they were in their car Kieren didn't move and neither did Simon. A few seconds ticked by and then Simon broke the silence, "I'm going to close the shop today. I want to take you somewhere."  
Kieren should have said he couldn't just go someplace with an older man who happened to be his boss or at least asked if he was going to get payed but instead he just said, "Okay."


	4. Oasis

The trees surrounding Kieren are the same trees he's grown up with, the same huge and sometimes overbearing trees that have made him feel claustrophobic his entire life. They are the same trees but they feel entirely different. Directly in front of him is a break in the forest where a small pond sits, hidden deep inside the place that Kieren has walked through a thousand times. The trees around him don't feel like scattered bars from cages meant to keep things lost; instead they feel like protectors of this little pond. All this time Kieren has felt intimidated by the trees that seemed to lock him inside his hometown and now, thanks to Simon, he can see how easy it is to break free from these bars and find the forest's hidden oasis.   
"I found this place two days after I moved here. I was just walking aimlessly, exploring without realizing that I was." Simon's arm makes it's way around Kieren's shoulder and he leads Kieren forward, into the clearing. They stop at the pond's bank and Simon's arm stays in it's place.   
"Does anyone else know about it?" Kieren asks softly. The weight of the man's arm is comfortable and terrifying all at the same time.   
"The only people dumb enough to go out this far would be hunters and I don't think they would give it a second glance. It's just a pond, after all. There's one right at the edge of town." Simon replies, in a tone that begs Kieren to defy him.   
"This one's different." Kieren says instantly, looking at the man defiantly yet somehow also playfully.   
Simon turns, smoothly moving his arms so that his hand ends up resting in the crevice between Kieren's neck and collar bone. He looks intensely into Kieren's eyes. "Those golden flecks in your eyes... you mesmerize me, Kieren Walker." The tone of Simon's voice is so full of passion and desire it makes Kieren's knees go weak. Sensing that Kieren won't be able to speak, Simon leans in to kiss him. Before his eyes are fully closed though, Kieren pushes away.   
"Wait. What is this? You're...well, my boss. I shouldn't have let you take me into the woods like this let alone let you try to..." His words fall short. He can't seem to say it. Was that all that was going to be? A kiss? It felt like more was going to happen. It felt as though when their lips met their would have been some kind of explosion or planets would have aligned or something. He didn't know how he'd has pulled away now, or why he had wanted to.   
Simon shrugs and turns his back to Kieren, looking out at the water. His voice is thick still with passion but its changed now and disappointment marks his tone, "I guess I never thought of you as one of my employees. I fell out of line. It won't happen again." His head sunk and Kieren felt regret fill him up.   
"No, it isn't that." Kieren grabs the man's shoulder and pulls him to face him. "I just..." Kieren stops, not knowing what words to use to make him understand. He didn't even understand his own hesitation, how could he explain it to Simon?   
Without any further thought, Kieren closes his eyes and presses his lips against Simon's. His hands grips the collar on Simon's jacket and he feels more that an explosion, more than planets aligning: He feels Simon's heart beat.

**Author's Note:**

> Thanks for reading! I'll add more soon. Let me know what you think.


End file.
